JLPT N2 Study Materials

...Are on their way! Curse you, Amazon.co.jp, for yet again seducing me with your outstanding selection of books and somehow conning me into paying your outrageous ($60!!) shipping fees. SIGH. But after much, MUCH searching, I could not find a cheaper alternative. They are really making a killing on their international orders. AND they won't ship バブ fizzy bath salts to international addresses. What the crap, why not?

So, after much deliberation, I decided on the following texts. Might also need a supplementary listening text w/CDs, but I won't be studying for the listening portion until (probably) November (and White Rabbit Press has a good listening book anyhow).

1. どんなときどう使う日本語表現文型辞典/Donna Toki Dou Tsukau Nihongo Hyougen Bunkei Jiten

Grammar dictionary. Seemed to be universally recommended. Grammar is my weakness. ;_;


2. 「日本語能力試験」対策 日本語総まとめN2 文法 /Nihongo So-matome JLPT N2 (Grammar)

This is a lighter guide to grammar on the N2 with cute pictures and practice problems. I figure if there are cute pictures, I am 80% more likely to use it. :unsmith:


3. 「日本語能力試験」対策 日本語総まとめN2 漢字/Nihongo So-matome JLPT N2 (Kanji)

Yay, the fun book! This book not only has cute pictures, but also covers KANJI! This will help me focus my kanji study and fully comprehend the nuances of the kanji on the N2 test (I hope?). P.S. cute pictures.

4. 実力アップ!日本語能力試験2級漢字単語ドリル/ Jitsu Ryoku Up! N2 Vocabulary

This is a hardcore vocab book. I'll be busting my a** to learn all the words in this book ASAP with the help of Anki.



5. にほんご500問 ~中級~/Nighongo 500 Mon (mid-level)

JLPT drills specifically designed to help me find my weaknesses. I think the detailed answer information will be very helpful for me to learn the whys for missed questions.


6. よつばと! Vols. 8 & 9

What better way to start learning to be comfortable reading than with the most adorable (and low-level, difficulty-wise) manga on the planet? I'm reading Vol. 7 right now.


So, obviously, if I'm starting with Yotsuba, I'm not very advanced at this stage. But this is my plan of attack, and I will be posting updates and reviews as I progress through my study.

-September: Cram vocab, creating custom Anki flashcard decks from the Unicom Jitsu Ryoku Up! book. Also start focusing my kanji study and migrating away from the Heisig method. I will pick back up with my Heisig-centric studies if I don't feel too pressed for time.

-October: Grammar, boo. I will be studying grammar as well as continuing with vocab & kanji studies. I should also be finished with all Yotsuba manga and be moving on to more difficult pursuits.

-November: Continue with any vocab, kanji, and grammar left to study. Read, read, and then READ SOME MORE. I hope to be reading lots of essays at this point and starting a Japanese novel. Also, I'll be doing drills and practice tests through out the month.

Test is December 5, so I really need to buckle down and get going.

I was inspired to shoot for the N2 (when I was originally considering the N3 or N4) from kaeru's post at Nihongo Pera Pera.

Wish me luck! ^_^